The "with's" and the "without's"

Contributed by guest author, Beau Boutwell

I start this entry in a vulnerable place and I wanted you all to know that from the start, so if I say something out of the “norm,” please forgive me.  I’d like to start with a few verses which I found that describe my heart as I sit before my laptop listening to worship music.  They say this:

…9And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him 
who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 
10the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him 
who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, 
and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11"Worthy are You, 
our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; 
for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

My friend, Nik Sloan, sent some of us at the church a link today to a video of Francis Chan speaking at a pastor’s conference.  I wasn’t busy at the time so I tuned in and watched the entire session.  I say session, because it wasn’t really a sermon, but rather a plea, no a begging for the pastors who were attending the conference to forget their attendance numbers, to forget the praise team, to forget budgets, to forget tithe totals, and to go back to the heart of what drove them to seek the vocation of pastor:  drawing others to God by example.

Did you catch that?  Not by their programs, not by their counseling sessions, not by their sermons, but by the example of their lives.

He used the example of the Hebrew people and Moses where God said that He will clear the way for His people in the Promised Land, but wouldn’t go with them since they were a “stiff-necked people.”  Moses never entered that land not only because of his sin, but because He wouldn’t go on with God.  The Hebrew people missed the mark, they were content talking to Moses about going up on the mountain, rather than picking up their staves, putting on their sandals, and climbing the mountain themselves to encounter an amazing and glorious God.

Chan went on to talk about Gideon, who in his own way, said that no matter the size of his army, even if it were he and his armor-bearer alone, so long as God was with them, no enemy would be able to stand before them and so his prayers were littered with pleas to God to draw near to Him, to let him know that He was indeed with him.

He didn’t ask for blessings.  He didn’t ask for healing.  He didn’t ask for comfort.  He asked, begged, and pleaded that God be with him.

It’s me, so here’s a video.  Please, take a few minutes to watch it.  As a preparation, I suggest that you find some headphones and use them.  Also, don’t multitask while watching it, but rather focus on the video, particularly on the audience, if you would.  Thanks, in advance.

Admission time:  that video moves me to tears… every… single… time… I hear it.  The first few times I saw it, my heart was drawn to the individual prayers and praises going up from the crowd gathered there, allowing the Holy Spirit to move across the place like a rapturous wave of praise.  When I became a worship pastor a few years back, I noticed something new:  the production value and sound quality coming from the praise team and choir was phenomenal and I wanted so badly to be a part of a church where that kind of technology and expertise would allow me to be a part of services like this one.

Now, however, like Mr. Chan above, God has grabbed a hold of my heart and led me into a place where now I shed tears over this video because I want so desperately to lead people in worship in such a way that they can encounter God in the same way that the people in the video above encounter Him.

Without fear,
Without embarrassment,
Without inhibitions,
Without doubt,
Without self-consciousness, and
Without regret.

But also…

With courage,
With boldness,
With zeal,
With truth,
With focus, and
With a spirit of thanksgiving.

I realize that we’ve lost the discipline of uninhibited worship.  I pray every day that commUNITY church finds it again.  I even pray that I, myself, will be able to get out of the way of the Holy Spirit when He decides to move in that place and drives us all to our knees, into a place of supplication, reckless praise, and a true understanding of our place in God’s creation and how we stand before Him.  Like the kings in Revelation, Isaiah was driven to his knees because he came face-to-face with our almighty Creator.

If you’re interested, the video of Francis Chan’s talk at the pastor’s conference is below.  If you choose to watch it, I’d like you to note one thing, his opening prayer.  Notice his understanding from the outset of who he is and what his place is before an amazing God.

Much love to you all,

Beau is the pastoral assistant and CrossRoads ministry leader at CommUNITY Church.